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Royals Cheer for Two Nations in Wild World Cup Day
21 Jun
Summary
- Royal family attended matches for both the Netherlands and Curacao.
- Curacao secured its first World Cup point against Ecuador.
- The King apologized for the Netherlands' historical slave trade role.
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, and Princess Ariane of the Netherlands witnessed a remarkable World Cup day, supporting both their home nation and Curacao, a former Dutch colony. They first watched the Dutch team achieve an impressive 5-1 win against Sweden in Houston.
Later, the royal party traveled to Kansas City to see Curacao earn their first World Cup point in a match against Ecuador. This dual support makes the tournament particularly special for the King, who enjoys cheering for both teams.
Curacao, a small Caribbean island with a population of 158,000, remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Historically, the Netherlands established colonies in various regions, including Curacao, involving the trafficking of thousands from Africa during the transatlantic slave trade before its ban in 1863. In 2023, King Willem-Alexander formally apologized for his country's historical involvement in the slave trade.
